Northwestern University Visiting Scholar Plan

All visiting scholars at Northwestern University are required to maintain adequate health insurance coverage as a condition of their approved stay. To facilitate University compliance, the Office of Risk Management has established minimum health insurance requirements for international scholars and their dependents, and for visiting personnel.

Coverage that meets these requirements is offered through the Visiting Scholar Plan. The University self-insures the Plan and the Office of Risk Management provides program administration. BAS LLC is the claims administrator for the Plan.

J-1 exchange visitors and their J-2 dependents must be covered by sickness and accident insurance that meets the Department of State (DOS) requirements for the duration of their participation in a J-1 exchange visitor program. Failure to have such insurance coverage may lead to loss of legal immigration status and termination from the exchange visitor program. These DOS regulations are published in the Code of Federal Regulations [22 CFR 62.14].

Visiting scholars and their spouses and dependents may also be subject to the requirements of the Affordable Care Act.

Participation in the Visiting Scholar Plan is mandatory for international visiting scholars unless evidence of comparable coverage is presented, and a waiver is filed and approved by the Office of Risk Management. It is the responsibility of the host department to make sure all incoming visitors are adequately insured.